43 Best Songs About Los Angeles

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Los Angeles is famous for many things, including beautiful women, fancy cars, and the rich and famous. Thus, L.A. is an inspiration for many artists. Some tracks are about the city's beauty, while others depict the opposite.

Here are the best songs about Los Angeles ever.

Contents

1. “Santa Monica” by Everclear

Song year: 1996

Santa Monica, California, is a city within Los Angeles where Everclear lead singer Art Alexakis grew up.

The song has a beachy and uplifting tune with lyrics about moving on and leaving the past and bad times behind; endings are new beginnings and a chance to move forward to something even better.

2. “Los Angeles” by Blink 182

Song year: 2016

“Los Angeles” is a song by the American rock band, Blink 182 that features specific references to Los Angeles locations like Mulholland Drive, painting a picture of the city.

Initially, the group planned on naming their album after this song and making it the lead single, though they decided to go with “California” as the album title and “Bored to Death” as the single.

3. “Dying In LA” by Panic! At the Disco

Song year: 2018

Panic! At the Disco, lead singer Brendon Urie wrote “Dying In LA” to paint the picture of someone arriving in Los Angeles with dreams of finding life-changing opportunities and falling in love with the glamour.

However, they'd end up broken once their failed success catches up to them.

4. “No More Parties in L.A.” by Kanye West ft. Kendrick Lamar

Song year: 2016

In “No More Parties in L.A.,” Kanye West and Kendrick Lama rap about the superficial L.A. lifestyle.

Oddly, many look at Kanye as the personification of the Los Angeles culture with his love for luxury. However, he acknowledges the dangers of getting caught in the hype.

5. “I Love L.A.” by Randy Newman

Song year: 1983

Randy Newman was tasked to write a song about Los Angels for the 1984 Olympics. However, he wrote a tongue-in-cheek tune about the unfavorable culture in L.A.

The song became a hit, with most people not making it past the chorus. Although Los Angeles officials didn't think this was the desired image, Newman released the track anyway.

6. “Eastside” by Benny Blanco, featuring Khalid & Halsey

Song year: 2018

Benny Blanco came together with some of the most famous artists at the time to write and release the hit song “Eastside.”

The lyrics reminisce about young love between a boy and girl who used to meet in the Eastside, an urban Los Angeles County, California area.

7. “Free Fallin'” by Tom Petty

Song year: 1989

“Free Fallin'” is the opening track from Tom Petty's debut solo album, Full Moon Forever, and is one of his biggest hits.

Petty stated that he didn't write the song about any specific person; instead, he wrote it to represent what he saw during cruises along Ventura Boulevard, a region within Los Angeles.

8. “Move to L.A.” by Tyga

Song year: 2017

Tyga wrote this song to pay homage to American rapper and minister, Ma$e and R&B girl group Total's hit song “What You Want.” The song references what was happening at the time, with many girls visiting L.A. and wanting to move there.

9. “Beverly Hills” by Weezer

Song year: 2005

“Beverly Hills” is a hit song by American rock band Weezer, which would become one of the group's biggest hits.

The narrator describes how he wishes he could live a lavish life like the stars who live in Beverly Hills are living. Though some mistake the lyrics for sarcasm, the song was written with total sincerity.

10. “L.A. Freeway” by Jerry Jeff Walker

Song year: 1972

The 70s hit “L.A. Freeway” is a song originally written by Jerry Jeff Walker, though several artists have covered it, like Steve Earl.

Songwriter Guy Clark wrote the lyrics after falling out with his landlord, prompting him to move from Los Angeles to Nashville.

11. “Los Angeles, Be Kind” by Owl John

Song year: 2014

“Los Angeles, Be Kind” is a song by Owl John, a Scottish solo musical project by Frightened Rabbit's bandmates Scott Hutchison and Andy Monaghan and their touring guitarist, Simon Liddell.

The lyrics describe the downfalls of L.A., like traffic lights, crime, smog, and more, and then urge the city to be kind.

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